Three years ago, the South African Department of Sport and Recreation joined forces with the National Department of Education and nearly a dozen South African Sports Federations to introduce a sports curriculum into South Africa’s schools. …

“The structured approach to school sport was to redress the effects of 20 years with little or in most case no physical education in our schools,” explains Caron Henry, who manages Gym for All and Schools programmes for the South African Gymnastics Federation (SAGF). …

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The Health Outcomes and Physical activity in Preschoolers (HOPP) Study at McMaster University (Canada) asked parents of 3- to 5-year-olds about sport participation.

87% of parents reported participation in organized activities in the last month and 90% in the last year. The sports most often reported were: swimming (79%), soccer (48%), gymnastics (40%), dance (30%), ice hockey (21%), and T-ball (9%). …

Gymnastics and Trampoline are as important as running and swimming for very young children. We teach Motor and Physical Fitness better than any other sport.

What can parents do?

Be a positive sports role model!
Emphasize the fun of sports!
Don’t focus on the rules, keeping score or competition in the early years.
Be sure the sports program and equipment are safe and age-appropriate.
Be supportive of your child’s coach and teammates.

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Kids should exercise at least one hour a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But in the U.S., less than half of six- to 11-year-olds and only 8 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds meet that target. …

Over in Denmark, a longitudinal study of how schoolchildren move through urban environments provided an opportunity to find out by outfitting hundreds of students with accelerometers and GPS trackers during their waking hours. …

The researchers found that children were significantly more active when playing on grassy areas and at sites featuring playground equipment. …

… in all five areas studied, girls spent more time being sedentary than boys. …

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Starting out at the age of seven, Beth went on to become an Olympic Bronze Medalist, triple World Champion, six-time European Champion, Commonwealth Champion and seven-times consecutive National Champion, cementing her place as Britain’s greatest ever-female gymnast.

Although memories of Beth taking the Bronze in the Uneven Bars at London 2012 – the culmination of an incredible career – will not be forgotten anytime soon, sharing a fierce passion for gymnastics with future generations has become her new focus.

So how can parents encourage their kids to exercise?

By making it fun for the child and getting involved themselves. If they feel involved and interested, I think they are more likely to encourage their children to keep going with it or try something new. …

What’s more important for kids starting out in sport, fun or desire?

I think it has to be fun! Without the fun element they are less likely to continue